Wei Sheng instinctively spun and swung his arm, sweeping it across like an ox's tail.
"Savage Bull Tail Sweep!"
If this blow landed, even Cao Defa would die without question.
But he failed to budge his target!
The instant his spear-like arm swept into his ambusher, Wei Sheng's expression changed slightly. It felt less like striking a person than striking a slab of "granite," and the impact sent a numbing shock through his arm.
Before he could react, a large hand reached for his wrist like an iron shackle.
Once it clamped down, he would have no chance to resist at all.
At this critical moment, Wei Sheng's mind grew even clearer. He curled his palm into a fist and advanced instead of retreating, smashing a punch into the "granite." As the recoil nearly robbed his entire arm of feeling, he used that same force to swiftly retreat several meters.
"Hm?"
A surprised murmur came from across from him.
Then a burly figure was already looming over him!
A palm as broad as a palm-leaf fan came crashing down at his head amid howling winds, as though it would slap Wei Sheng straight into the ground!
Wei Sheng sidestepped the blow and retreated again.
At the same time, he finally saw his attacker's face. Fire Ox!!
An intrigued look showed on Fire Ox's face as he closed in again, adopting a Savage Bull Fist stance.
Rampaging Ox Charges Across the Wilderness!
It was the same move Cao Defa had used earlier, but the difference in power was like heaven and earth!
The instant Fire Ox charged, Wei Sheng felt the ground shaking. A savage, ferocious, and irresistible force bore down on him.
Minor mastery?
Major mastery!
His Savage Bull Fist was at least at major mastery!
What was Fire Ox trying to do?
Test him personally?
Rather than alarm, Wei Sheng felt delight. Since reaching major mastery in Savage Bull Fist, he had never unleashed the fist art to his heart's content. If Fire Ox wanted to test him personally, then let them clash!
"Rampaging Ox Charges Across the Wilderness!"
Wei Sheng stamped his rear foot hard against the ground, and his entire bearing changed. Stubborn and savage, as though a wild ox had descended in person, he charged fearlessly at Fire Ox!
Thump!
The two figures collided with a crash, then separated in an instant.
But a moment later, they were fighting again.
Neither used any other moves. They attacked and counterattacked purely with Savage Bull Fist!
Rampaging Ox Parts Its Mane!
Savage Bull Tramples!
Savage Bull Charge!
Every time Fire Ox unleashed a move, Wei Sheng neutralized it with the same move, executed with even greater finesse.
Even so, Wei Sheng was still beaten back again and again.
There was no helping it.
His mastery of the fist art surpassed Fire Ox's, but his physique fell far short.
Although Fire Ox was not using his full strength, he possessed the physique of a Six Refinements expert. Every punch Wei Sheng threw barely hurt Fire Ox; instead, his formidable defenses sent numbing shocks through Wei Sheng's arms.
After their repeated exchanges, Wei Sheng's arms were nearly senseless, and he had been forced into a corner.
"Kid, is that all you've got?!" Fire Ox sneered.
Wei Sheng said nothing. He simply found an opening in Fire Ox's defense and stamped both feet hard against the ground. Power rose from the earth, passed through his waist and hips, and flowed into his arms. His fists thrust forward like ox horns, striking straight at Fire Ox's chest:
"Savage Ox Horn Thrust!"
Fire Ox's eyelid twitched. He narrowly shifted his vital area out of the way, but the punch still landed squarely on his flank, driving him back two steps.
Wei Sheng frowned.
That punch to Fire Ox's flank had felt less like hitting a person than striking thick oxhide, tough and substantial.
So this was skin refinement?!
"Good lad! You haven't even reached First Refinement, yet you actually forced me back!"
Rather than becoming angry, Fire Ox laughed, a strange look in his eyes. "You really have trained Savage Bull Fist to Perfection!"
What?
Savage Bull Fist at Perfection?
Wei Sheng?!
At these words, Hu Wan was stunned, A Chang's mouth fell open, and everyone else wore expressions of disbelief.
They struggled just to reach Entry, yet Wei Sheng had quietly trained it to Perfection?
No wonder he could defeat Cao Defa with ease, and even exchange blows with Brother Fire Ox...
No wonder, their asses!!
From Entry to Perfection in a month—how had this fellow trained?!!
"What's your name?"
Fire Ox was extraordinarily excited, his eyes shining as he stared intently at Wei Sheng as though looking at a piece of uncarved jade.
"Wei Sheng!"
Wei Sheng answered calmly.
"Wei Sheng... very good! Would you be willing to become my personal guard? Your monthly pay will be five taels of silver. In addition, I'll personally teach you the Skin Refinement Method and help you break through!"
The moment these words rang out-
When everyone looked at Wei Sheng again, their shocked expressions had turned to intense envy. They wished they could take his place!
A personal guard to one of the Five Tiger Generals represented that general in the branch hall.
From then on, his status would change. He would no longer be cannon fodder, but would rise into the ranks of those addressed as "Brother." With a few more years of seniority, he might even become the man in charge of the Gaoliu Branch Hall.
And that was only one of the benefits.
By comparison, five taels of silver might be worth less than the status of a personal guard, but five taels every month was still a handsome reward.
After all-
They fought other gangs every day, risking their lives, and even in good times, they earned only three or four hundred copper coins a month. A full year barely brought them close to five taels of silver.
Yet Wei Sheng's income for one month would equal theirs for an entire year!
More importantly...
The Skin Refinement Method!!
That was the truly precious thing that could defy heaven and change their fate.
At a martial arts school, they would not even get to see it without paying ten or more taels of silver.
Brother Fire Ox was actually willing to teach Wei Sheng such a precious method?
"What would you have me do, Brother Fire Ox?!"
Wei Sheng asked in a low voice.
Fire Ox's terms were so generous that Wei Sheng instead found himself afraid to agree lightly.
"Haha! Relax. I'm not asking you to climb a mountain of blades or plunge into a sea of fire."
Fire Ox laughed heartily. "Just focus on your training. If you can break through to Third Refinement, I'll give you a great future."
With Fire Ox having gone this far, it would have been impolite for Wei Sheng to refuse again.
Besides, he had no grounds to refuse.
Whatever Fire Ox was scheming, he would swallow the benefits first and worry about the rest once he was stronger.
"From this day forward, Wei Sheng is at your command, Brother Fire Ox!"
Wei Sheng cupped his fist toward Fire Ox.
"Haha! Good! Here's my waist token. Come find me on Heavenly Sea Street tomorrow."
Fire Ox tossed him a black wooden token and left, laughing heartily.
As soon as Fire Ox left, A Chang hurried over to Wei Sheng. "Brother Sheng, you're incredible!"
His expression was brimming with excitement, as though he shared in the glory.
With a broad smile on his face, Hu Wan approached Wei Sheng and called loudly, "Brother Sheng!"
Although the two had barely interacted before-or rather, Hu Wan had never even considered Wei Sheng worth noticing-
From now on, there would probably be no one in the branch hall who could, or dared to, ignore Wei Sheng!
He had been a butcher and was well informed, so he naturally understood the significance of taking Savage Bull Fist from Entry to Perfection in a single month.
"With such terrifying talent, even in a martial arts school, you could count his peers on one hand!"
Faced with such an exceptionally gifted fellow gang member, he naturally had to cling tightly to his thigh.
Only upon hearing his call did the other gang members come to their senses. Suppressing the envy and jealousy in their hearts, they cupped their fists in salute to Wei Sheng, addressing him as Brother Sheng.
Even those who had previously clustered around Cao Defa were no exception.
Watching this scene, Cao Defa's expression changed several times. Finally, he shakily took something from inside his robe and approached Wei Sheng.
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